Preparing for the Holiday Season: Five Fantastic Strategies
As we finish the thanksgiving weekend, our journey to Christmas has well and truly begun. However, it has actually been real for many for over a month since a recent study showed 40% of people to start holiday shopping before the end of October.
For retailers, they take just under one-third of their yearly sales during the holidays and this year we’re set to see retail sales smash through the $700 billion barrier. For us, on an individual level, the average American spends $740 on gifts, food, and everything we need to prepare for the season.
As restaurant owners, we know that this time is equally important. Generally, people feel more generous and more willing to step outside of the ‘norm’. If one partner turns to the other in April and asks them if they want to go to a restaurant, the answer would be ‘why?’. During the holidays, this answer turns into ‘why not!’ and we’re here to benefit. Below, we have five strategies you can use to prepare for the big month.
Focus on the Customer – Every year, customers are looking for special offers and deals they can utilize while they’re in a great mood. The earlier you plan your seasonal menu, full to the brim with offers, the more likely you are to see success. Of course, we recommend utilizing social media too since this is where most of the decision-making is done these days. Soon enough, your followers will be tagging their friends in your promotions and interest will generate.
If you’re hosting any type of event during this time, make sure you create an event on Facebook because this is a great way to build excitement. For example, a simple holiday karaoke evening event on Facebook will get people talking and this is exactly what you need.
When they arrive, your customers also need a fantastic experience and you can provide this with holiday decorations. With a little tinsel and a beautiful tree, your guest will feel as welcome as they do in their own home!
Create a Plan – As we head towards December like a bullet train, things can get a little hectic so take a moment to sit down and write a plan. As early as possible, you want to hire all the staff you’re going to need and have them trained. If everybody is ready and raring to go, you’ll be in a great position to offer a brilliant experience for all.
After this, plan for your inventory needs over the coming weeks and plan what specials you want to offer. Are you going to choose something completely different to your menu? Are you going to adapt your menu and give it a festive makeover? Also, things don’t always go to plan so think about back-up options too.
Sell Your Gift Cards – If we look at the last decade alone, the idea of gift cards has exploded and you’re missing out at this time of year if you can’t offer one to your guests. Whether you decide to go physical or electronic (or a combination of the two), people are more inclined now to buy gift card experiences so your restaurant would be a popular option. With $30 on a gift card, people can give their friends or family members the start of a relaxing evening.
Team Up with a Charity – As they say, Christmas is a time for giving so consider working with a local charity. During the holidays, you could hold an event and raise funds for the charity. For example, you can raise money for a charity who buy toys for orphanages. As you involve your customers, they’ll be willing to promote the event and help out wherever possible. Although this isn’t the main idea of the exercise, it will get people talking about your brand and the community gets to know what your business is all about.
Work with Other Businesses – If you don’t focus on your dessert menu too much but you’re within walking distance of an independent dessert eatery, why not team up over the holidays? If you advertise together, you can create a campaign that sees people eat their main course at yours before walking to your partner for dessert.
For this to work, there needs to be something to gain for everybody and you shouldn’t be looking to team up with competitors because you’re forcing the customer to make a decision. In the example we gave, the services were complementary so both companies can enjoy the benefits.
Enjoy the Holidays – As an extra tip, try to think outside of the box and just enjoy the time of year where everybody is more relaxed and melancholy. If you use one of our five strategies, or, even better, combine them all, you’ll be putting your restaurant on the map. When you can do this, the effect lasts much longer than just the holidays so you can enjoy a positive 2019 too!